Theodore, Eleanor, and Franklin Roosevelt were all master communicators, and each saw the ability to reach out to the public as a quintessential feature of public service.

The RIAS serves both an academic and a public function. Alongside conducting and facilitating research and acting as a meeting point for scholars, the Institute also plays an important regional role in Zeeland. Together with its Rooseveltian partners – the Roosevelt Foundation and University College Roosevelt – the RIAS organizes public events and raises awareness of the Roosevelt legacy and its ideals through a variety of outreach activities.